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3 Sheets-Sheet l.. W, CURTIS. GATE.

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No. 469,514. Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. W. CURTIS.

GATE. No. 469.514. Patented Peb. 23, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OrEIcE.Y

VIIIIIIAM CURTIS, OF SULLIVAN, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-TIIIRD TO SAMUEL R. ENGLE, OF SAME PLACE.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,514, dated' February 23, 1892.

Application tiled September 26, 1891- Serial No. 406,882. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CUETIs,a citizen of the United States, residing atSullivan, in the county of Sullivan and State of Indiana, have invented certain' new and useful Improvements in Gates; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in farm-gates; and the object is the provision of a gate easily opened and closed by a person on foot or which can be opened and closed by a person in a vehicle or on horseback, and

which will be of simple and durable construction and inexpensive to produce.

The invention consists of a gate embodying novel features, which are disclosed in the drawings and description.

Figure l is a perspective view of the gate closed. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the gate closed. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the gate open; and Fig. Il is a view of the latch and operating-lever therefor, the latch being in section.

In the drawings, A is the gate, which-is of the ordinary or any desired construction. It is pivoted at its center upon the metallic bearing-plate a, as shown in Fig. 2, being held to the plate by a bolt extending down into the same from the central upright of the gate, and the plate is secured to a metal post embedded in the ground so as lto lie flush with the surface.

O and D are posts from which run the bars or braces C and D to the center of the gate, where they are pivotally connected to the same and thus hold it iirrnly upright. The post D extends upward to a considerable height and has an arm d upon its upper end.

From a suitable drum E, secured to the top of the gate at its pivot-point, a chain or rope passes to a pulley E on the post D,thence to a pulley E2, secured to the arm d, and ends in a weight E3, which serves as a motive power to operate the gate when the latch is lifted,

as hereinafter described.

Upon the side of the road opposite is a post F, and on the saine side of the road, at suitable distances from the gate in either direction` are the posts G and II, these p'osts allbeing higher than any vehicle which will pass through the gate and having upon their npper ends arms or extensions f, g, and h, which support the latch'operating ropes or chains. The posts D and F are both provided with keepers, with which the latch on the gate engages, and also with latch-lifting levers, as shown more clearly in Fig. fi. The latches I (one at each end of the gate) are pivoted at.

l" and have handles or pins passing through near the forward end, by which they may be lifted by footmen. Each of the keepers .I J, with which the free ends of the latches engage, is provided with a notch or depression, in which the end of the latch rests, and is beveled from this central notch downward toward the sides, so that as the gate swings toward the post the latch strikes against the beveled portion and is raised until it drops into the notch and locks the gate in the ordinary manner. It will be seen that the keeper is offset from the post a slight distance, so as to leave a space or channel between its beveled portions and the post to which it is secured. A lever K is pivoted in this channel at one end thereof, so as to rest normally in the bottom of the channel, and the free end of the latch projects suficiently past the keeper to be engaged by this lever when the free end thereof is raised, and thus the latch may be lifted and the gate released, suitable ropes being provided for operating the levers, as hereinafter described. A rope or chain is secured to the end of the lever K on post D, this rope or chain passing upward through an eye or pulley near the top of the post. Thence the rope is passed tothe post H, through a pulley or eye on the arm thereof, through a pulley on the -arm of post F, and finally through a pulley on arm of post G, where it terminates in a ring or handle extending down within reach of the operator. Arope or chain is also secured to the end of lever K of post F and passes upward to within a short distance of the pulley f on the arm of the post, where it branches. One of the branches passes up the right side of the pulley, through the pulley,

ICO

and over to the left, where it is attached to the main rope or chain L. The other branch extends up the other side of the pulley, through the same toward the right, Where it is secured to the rope or chain L. A double rope or chain is provided at the post H, the ends of this rope or chain passing through the pulleys or eyes g and g2 and being secured to the main rope or chain upon either side of the post. The double rope or chain,

like the end of the main rope or chain, is pro-- vided with a suitable handle or ring extending down in position to be grasped by the hand. The latch-lifting levers are provided with suitable means for returning them to the bottom of the channels after they have been lifted, Weights being preferably used for this purpose.

From the above description the operation of the gate will be readily understood. The rope or chain c is wound upon the drum, this being done by revolving the gate upon its pivot continuously in one direction, thus raising the weight E3, or the drum may be attached to the gate by a pawl-and-ratchet connection J. V'Vhen a person approaches in a vehicle and desires to open' the gate, it is only necessary to grasp the ring upon that side and draw down upon the same, thus drawing upon the inain rope or chain and raising the latches through their respective operatinglevers; The gate is then free to swing, and the tension upon the rope or chain e, due to the weight upon its end, causes the gate to swing until the latch comes in contact with the keeper on post D, which holds the gate parallel with the road and open, allowing the vehicle to pass through. After passing through the occupant grasps the ring suspended from the post on the other side, and, drawing down upon it, in like manner raises the latches and releases thegate, which then swings until the latch upon the other end comes in contact with the keeper of post F, which holds the gate at right angles to the road and shut. As the gate is double, the parts are evenly balanced and there is no danger of sagging, and the whole swings so easily that a very small child can push it against the force exerted by theweight. Foot- 5o men passing through the gate can push it in either direction and Without trouble, handles being provided for the purpose of raising the latch.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In combination, the double gate pivoted centrally thereof, means for rotating the same, posts upon eachside of the road carrying 6o keepers adapted to be engaged by latches on the gate, posts upon one side of the road upon each side of the gate-post, and ropes connecting said posts with suitable latch-lifting devices upon the keeper-posts, said ropes being adapted to be grasped by the hand to raise the latches and allow the gate to swing, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the gate A and means for rotating the same, latchescarried 7o upon the ends of saidgate, posts D and F, carrying keepers, latch-levers pivoted to said keepers, posts G and H upon the side of the roadl at a distance from the gate, and ropes passing. from the posts G and H to the latchlifting levers, substantially'as described.

3. In combination with the gate A and means for rotating the same, latches carried by said gate,posts D and F, carrying keepers, latch-lifting levers pivoted to said keepers, posts G and H upon either side of and at a distance from post F, and means for operating the levers, consisting of the main rope passing from the lever on post D over suitable pulleys on posts G, F, and H, and terminating in a handle Within reach of the operator, the supplemental rope connecting the main rope with the lever on post F,- and the supplemental rope secured to the main rope at post G, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. Y

WILLIAM CURTIS.

l/Vitnesses:

W. MCCAMMON, W. H. BRKs. 

